Improvement in car-wheels



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. L. WIEGAND.-

Gar-Wheel.V l No. 213,27'0. Patented Mar. Il, 1879.

Fig. Z.

ILPETETS, PHCTD-LITHOGMFHEF, WASHINGTQN. D. C.

UNITE- S. LLOYD W'IEGAND, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO WALTER J. BUDD, OFv SAME PLAGE.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-WHEELS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 213,270, dated March 1l, 1879; applimtion filed September 30, 1878.

` To all whom t may concern:

- Be it known that I, S. LLOYD WIEGAND, of

the city and county of Philadelphia, and State engines; and this invention may be briefly stated to consist of wheels and axles, or any other parts rotating with them, so adjusted that the axis of rotation shall be coincident with the geometric axes of the journal-bearings, and the wheel-treads and all the rotating matter so disposed as to effect an equilib= rium of centrifugal forces around the axis of rotation, and thus avoid all tendency of the wheels and axles to gyrate with their geometric axes out of line with their ax'es of rotation, and in this manner obviating the concussions upon the journals and wheels and rails or other roadway incident to wheels as heretofore used. The balancing is not a mere balancing as to terrestrial gravitation, but also as .to centrifugal force.

Figure l shows a plan of a pair of wheels and axle for railway service; Fig. n), a side elevation; Fig. 3, an elevation of an apparatus for adjusting and testing the wheels; and Figs. 4, 5, and 6 show modiiications of means for effecting the balancing of metal or material of the wheels and connected rotating parts. Figs. 7 and 8 respectively show auother and more convenient form of testing apparatus.

The same letters of reference apply to the same parts in the several figures.

A represents the axle, provided with journals B and B. C and C are wheels secured upon the axle A.

It is expedient in practice to first effect the balancing of the wheels and axles and other rotating parts with reference to gravitation in the. manner usually practiced for mill shafting and pulleys before proceeding to balance them as to centrifugal eifect.

The centrifugal balancing of the wheels C and C and axle A -is effected by applying weights D thereto, which weights D may bel adjusted radially, so. as to increase or diminish their centrifugal efect; angularly, so as to place them in position to counteract the eti feet of an excess of weight upon the other -sideof the axis; and longitudinally, so as to change their plane of action and correct any Obliquity or inclination of the axis of gyration from the geometric axis of the wheels and journals.

The weights D may be adjusted, as shown in Fig. l, by clamping them with screws or rivets on the wheels or-axle, or by casting them with the wheels and subsequently detaching such as are superfluous by cutting or breaking them eff; or they may be adjusted by experimentally ascertaining the amount and position of balance required and applying it in the form of melted metal, and casting it onto the wheel or into cavities prepared to re ceive and retain it, as shownY in Figs. 4, 5, and 6.

Fig. 3 shows an apparatus for testing and adjusting the balance of the wheels in accordance with this invention. E is a vertical shaft, having suspended from it, by means of two universal joints, F and F1, and an intervening shaft, F2, a clamp, Gr, adapted to centrally hold the wheels and axle by sonic linished portion of said wheel or axle concentric with the intended axis of rotation. Both the shaft E and couplings F and Fl and the intermediate shaft F2 should be in such equilibrium that, when suspended freely and rapidly rotated, they will revolve accurately upon their geometric axis-. e., the axis of their form.

From the clamp G, I suspend the axle A .and pair of wheels C and C', and rotate them rapidly, and mark the projecting side of the lower wheel, C', and. apply the weight D, so adjusted as to cause it to revolve centrally, after which I suspend the axle and wheels by the other end and repeat the operation, and

again reverse them, so as to test them as to ArfENr Futon.

whether the balance is correct as to longitudinal adjustment, which, when it is attained,

" permits the wheelsand axle, when freely suspended by either end, to revolve on its geometric axis. Vhen thus adjusted, the wheels and axle will roll upon straight rails without appreciable jar or concussion, even at high velocities.

If the shaft F2 be made long, the wheels need not be reversed.

A more convenient testing. apparatus is shown in Figs. 7 and S. The journals B and B of the axle A rest in bearings L L upon two pendulousrods, M M, adjustable in length by nuts X X X X, and hung from a shaft, N, having eccentric journals 0 O resting in standards P P, by which the wheels can, by a lever, Q, be readily raised so as to'clear the ground.'

A belt, It, passing over a driving-pulley, S,

. applied so as to balance them,`as hereinbefore stated. f

When loose wheels-4'. e., wheels which roelai med 5 but,

Having described my invention and the mode of operating the same, what l claim as new therein is- Y As an article of manufacture, wheels for the rolling support of vehicles balanced by means of weights adjusted thereon, so as to have ltheir axis of centrifugal effect coincident with their geometric axis of journal-bearing and rolling-surfaces, substantially as and for 'the purpose set forth.

S. LLOYD WIEGAND.

Vitnesses:

WM. P. THOMPSON, J. DANIEL EBY. 

